Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401200047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Tech's average of 16.4 assists per game almost equals the 16.5 average by the 1982-83 Hokies, who set the school record for assists in a season with 561 in 34 games.
This year's Hokies would have to go deep into postseason play to challenge that record. Entering tonight's Metro Conference game against South Florida, however, the Hokies have eight more assists than turnovers (213-208).
The last Tech team to finish a season that way was the 1985-86 group, which had 436 assists and 426 turnovers. Al Young led that team with 118 assists.
Neither Jay Purcell nor Shawn Good, each of whom can run Tech's offense, is a highlights-reel passer or even a typical penetrate-and-pass point guard. But frontcourt players Ace Custis and Shawn Smith have combined for 67 assists; Custis has 38, two behind team-leader Purcell and one fewer than Good.
Starting forward Jim Jackson has 26, and guard Damon Watlington has 28 off the bench.
Custis and Smith have taken turns this year tossing to each other for easy baskets.
"We've always got at least one post guy who's a good passer," Tech coach Bill Foster said.
Kind of like Foster's 1979-80 Clemson team that had Larry Nance in the frontcourt and two guards with point-guard histories, Foster said. That team went 23-9 and advanced to the final eight of the NCAA Tournament.
"This is by far the best passing team we've had here," Foster said. "If we'll move the ball, we'll get pretty good shots."
The Hokies, not coincidentally, are shooting 47.2 percent on field-goal attempts. As a team, Tech has not shot better than 44.4 percent in a season since 1985-86, when it made 49.9 percent.
\ SCHEDULING: Foster said he will meet with Tech athletic director Dave Braine on Monday to get a feel for the chances of Big East Conference expansion. If the 10-team league becomes a 14-team league that includes Tech, the Hokies' '94-95 schedule could be squeezed, so Foster has put scheduling on hold.
If there's nothing definite on the Big East by next week, Foster said, "We're going to make an educated guess. I can't wait until May."
Foster said Tech has gotten inquiries from a Thanksgiving-time tournament in Puerto Rico, but, he said, "I'd rather look at what else is out there."
Tech may not play in a tournament abroad, Foster said, because the '94-95 schedule already includes away games against North Carolina, Marquette, West Virginia and Tennessee. Non-conference home games include Xavier, East Tennessee State and Texas Christian.
"We've got a pretty good chew already," he said.
\ ATTENDANCE: Tech's average home crowd of 5,566 this year has reversed a five-year trend of declining attendance at Cassell Coliseum but still is not close to the arena's capacity of 9,971. Last year's home crowd averaged 4,432.
\ ETC.: Foster said he will wait until the end of the season to decide whether to award North Carolina-Asheville transfer David Jackson a scholarship. If starting forward Jim Jackson's twin brother gets a grant, that would leave Tech with two available for recruits. "I'm pleased with everything I've seen," Foster said of David Jackson. . . . Among Tech's regular players, two of the best field-goal shooters - Custis (57.1 percent) and Smith (53.5 percent) - are the two of the poorest free-throw shooters (55.9 percent and 65.6 percent, respectively). . . . Watlington is shooting better from 3-point range (43.2 percent) than on two-point attempts (41.7).
by CNB